Air Canada will offer complimentary beer and wine in its economy class on flights within Canada and the U.S. until the end of the year. In the past, Air Canada international flights offered complimentary food and drinks, while domestic flights did not. The new offer, which includes Canadian-made snacks, may give the airline a competitive edge this travel season. The airline’s announcement Wednesday comes after Canadian rival WestJet revealed its UltraBasic fare, a lost-cost fare option with many restrictions. The decision “allows the airline to operate as if it were a low-cost carrier, a regular carrier and a premium carrier in one,” John Lawford, executive director and general counsel of the Public Interest Advocacy Centre in Ottawa, told CBC News. Air Canada’s decision to offer complimentary beer and wine in its economy class may be an attempt to provide a more premium service compared to its competitors. “We’re giving our Economy Class experience an upgrade this summer with a selection of premium snacks on all flights, plus free beer and wine on all flights within Canada and the U.S.,” reads Air Canada’s website.<br/>
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An Indian company tribunal approved the merger of full-service carriers Vistara with larger rival Air India on Thursday, according to an order dated June 6, bringing both Tata group airlines a step closer to completing the deal. The merger, first announced in November 2022, will include Vistara, which is 49% owned by Singapore Airlines, being absorbed into Air India, giving Singapore Airlines a 25.1% stake in the merged entity. "A sanction is hereby granted to the 'Composite Scheme of Arrangement' amongst the petitioner companies and their respective shareholders," the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) said in its order. The NCLT order stated that Air India must complete the merger in nine months. Both India's and Singapore's antitrust regulators have cleared the deal. The merger is expected to be completed by the end of the year, Air India CEO Campbell Wilson said earlier this week.<br/>
Indian full-service carrier Air India has said its plans to invest in new aircraft will depend on the government’s policy on bilateral agreements and the seat capacity being granted, CEO Campbell Wilson said this week at an aviation event in India. Last year, the airline placed an order for 470 new aircraft with Boeing and Airbus. It is also upgrading its fleet, set to retrofit more than 100 planes, of which 40 are wide-body aircraft. It has also ordered around 25,000 seats as part of its fleet revamp, investing $400m in this upgrade. Wilson was quoted as saying, “Indian carriers recently ordered more than 1,000 aircraft. We are committing to that on the basis that there would be an economic return to that investment, which, if you add it all, is well over $100b.” However, if more bilateral rights are granted to hubs in other countries, it would impact Indian airlines’ ability to fill seats on those aircraft, Wilson said. “If the rug is pulled from under us, if we can’t fill the aircraft, we will not take them,” he said, referring to taking wide-body aircraft. He further stated that granting more bilateral rights would feed the economies of those countries instead of India’s as they would take traffic from India and transfer about 80-90% of it to other parts of the world.<br/>
The ACCC has approved Virgin Australia’s unilateral codesharing agreement with Air New Zealand. The deal, which the ACCC signalled last month that it would allow, will let Virgin place its VA code on trans-Tasman Air New Zealand flights originating and sold in Australia, provided Air New Zealand sets the fares. The consumer watchdog says it believes this will offer passengers more choice. “We are satisfied that the sharing of resources by these airlines will provide consumers with more ticketing and price options on trans-Tasman routes,” said ACCC deputy chair Mick Keogh. “Virgin Australia and Air New Zealand will also be able to jointly offer discounts and a range of marketing options to businesses, and eligible Virgin Australia customers will have access to Velocity Frequent Flyer program benefits and international lounge access.” The codesharing agreement does not apply on routes where Virgin is already competing with Air New Zealand, or on any routes where it decides to compete in future.<br/>
Air New Zealand has announced it will now fly to the Indonesian island year-round, rather than just as a seasonal service. The airline currently flies direct to Bali from Auckland five to seven times a week between April and October, and now will operate two to three flights a week between November and March. It’s the first time Air New Zealand will operate year-round flights to the popular holiday hotspot, and will mean 800 seats are available each week during the NZ summer months. Air New Zealand Chief Customer and Sales Officer Leanne Geraghty said the move to provide year-round flight options for customers is a testament to the popularity of Bali as a holiday hotspot. “Bali has become an increasingly popular destination for Kiwi holidaymakers. With something to offer every type of traveller – from culture to incredible food, surf, relaxation, and adventure – expanding our Bali services made sense.<br/>